


Checklist

by setrevuo



Series: 28-day ficlet writing challenge [8]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Family Fluff, M/M, Neighbors, Pre-Relationship, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23554972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/setrevuo/pseuds/setrevuo
Summary: Single working dad Wonho already has enough on his plate without the landlord increasing his rent on him.
Relationships: Lee Hoseok | Wonho/Yoo Kihyun
Series: 28-day ficlet writing challenge [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686037
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	Checklist

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt - BALANCE: write about that feeling of equilibrium.*
> 
> *this fic strayed so far away from both me and the prompt... but it'll remain a ficlet

As a single working dad, Wonho doesn’t have a lot of spare time.

He wakes up precisely at 5:45am, freshens up and prepares breakfast and lunch for both him and his son. Then, coaxing Jisung to wake up would begin promptly at 6:30 and, if fate was on his side that day, finish by 7. His preferred method is through soft pleading and crying noises. Certainly putting his attorney skills to good use in front of a six year-old, but often the prosecutor would get the upper hand over the defendant. 

After that comes Jisung’s turn to get ready for the day, occasionally with oddballs thrown in the mix such as forgotten homework quickly scribbled into completion or class party day demanding themed outfits that just _had_ to be perfect. Wonho is never the kind of dad to say no to his child, which is unfortunate for him since Jisung has grown to be a confident, self-assured kid genius. Breakfast is then gobbled up in haste, a briefcase is stuffed with Wonho’s latest client documents and the two boys are out the door by 8.

After dropping Jisung at school, Wonho makes a beeline to the attorney’s office through rush hour traffic. Fortunately for him, he had risen up the ranks in seniority for his fellow colleagues to give him leeway for his lateness. The workday would go by and at 4:15 sharp, Wonho’s out the door, with the rest of the day’s work leaving with him like takeout. Daycare costs an arm and a leg and Wonho isn’t prepared to lose either, so he’d swing by the school and pick up Jisung. He’s then on home duty: homework, playwork, dinner, persuading Jisung to please sleep soon for his own sanity, and then getting to his own work, before blacking out. 

In between work and home are odd chores like going to the bank, getting groceries, and arguing with the landlord because the devil insists on setting arbitrary rent spikes at a moment’s notice.

“Listen, this is unaccept-” To his surprise, the person’s face who is being ambushed with Wonho’s rent letter isn’t the short, old, grouchy man he’s been used to for the past two years. Instead, who opens the door to the apartment landlord’s unit #100 but a much younger man, eyes narrow at the unfriendly greeting.

“Is this how you behave with my grandfather?”

The man standing in the doorway takes a good look at Wonho and then Jisung, who tugs at Wonho’s hand, clearly tired from his incredibly strenuous day of coloring within the lines and being forced to memorize yet another terribly written children’s song.

“I'm sorry-” Wonho catches himself. Why does he need to be sorry to the bourgeois? “-that you have a heartless monster as your grandfather.”

The other man gasps audibly. “You shut your mouth! How dare you speak to me that way. What has he ever done to you?”

“This,” Wonho waves the notification of the rent increase, but not as violently this time. “Not as if you could sympathize, anyway.”

The other man swipes it from his hand, gives Wonho a Look, and then scoffs before glancing down to read. His face quickly transforms its smugness to one of tired disappointment. He looks back up at Wonho. “Give me a minute. I’ll be back.”

“Hey-” Wonho frowns. The guy had gone inside, with the spring hinge on the door automatically closing it in Wonho’s face. He sighed, now awkwardly standing facing a closed door.

True to his word, exactly one minute later (which Wonho could confirm because Jisung had immediately started counting backwards from 60), the man returns. 

“Ignore this letter,” he says as he gives it back to him. “The rent is staying the same for the next month. And the month after, it’ll go back down to last year’s amount.”

Wonho gapes. “That’s it?”

The man shrugs. “My grandfather can be a tiny bit greedy. He was brought up in tough times.”

Tough times, my behind, Wonho thinks to himself. 

“But, uh,” the man licks his lips, clearly about to do something he doesn’t do normally. “I’d like to apologize. On behalf of my grandfather.”

Wonho scoffs. As if an apology can return the extra rent he’s been paying for years. 

Seeing Wonho’s clear refusal to accept the apology, the man tries again. “How about I treat you? And your son, too,” he quickly adds after Jisung’s obnoxious clearing of the throat.

“I can’t be bought,” Wonho glares, his arms crossed.

“But I can!” Jisung, the betrayer of Wonho’s own blood, chirps up. “What kind of treats do you have?”

“I can buy you any treat you want!” The man claps his hands in glee and squats down. “But only if you convince your dad to come along, too, okay?” 

Wonho is appalled at the direction this conversation had taken. This is blackmail through his own child, treason of the highest order. But Wonho isn’t going to budge this time, no siree, he won’t give in to Jisung-

Jisung looks up at his dad with wide doe eyes and Wonho relents immediately with a closed-eyes nod. Curse his own adorable genes and curse himself for passing them down. 

Looking mighty pleased, the man smiles sweetly at Wonho before asking Jisung. “And what’s your name?” 

“Jisung! And my dad’s name is Wonho!”

“Wonho, huh?” The man stands back up straight again. “Pleased to meet you, both! My name is Kihyun, and I say we go on a date tomorrow for dinner. Do you like burgers, Jisung?”

And so, against his will, Wonho finds himself making spare time. He doesn’t know how he’ll be able to juggle yet another schedule, but one thing’s for sure: try as the man might, he will _not_ be won over by the landlord’s grandson.

**Author's Note:**

> Narrator voice: He was won over by the landlord's grandson.


End file.
